Police are hunting for vandals who have left their mark all over Dumfries.

An appeal for information was launched at the weekend after a spray-painted ‘tag’ - which is believed to read ‘dotex’ - has appeared on the side of various sites across the town in recent weeks, including Noblehill Community Centre and a bus shelter.

The Noblehill venue has been a frequent target for vandals with members of the Dumfries Town Band, who practice twice a week at the centre, forced to spend three days repainting the building after a similar attack last year.

The latest incident has left the band counting the cost once again.

Committee member Lisa Fleming, 37, said: “The recent graffiti happened around Guid Nychburris weekend because I remember the police taking a note of it but we haven’t heard anything back about it since.

“It’s especially frustrating this time around because it’s been done in red paint and that’s very hard to get off a white pebbledash wall.

“We’re now looking into installing some CCTV or lighting to try and deter them from coming back. I don’t think the people doing this are actually thinking of anyone else or the consequences of what they’re doing.”

Vandals using the same tag also attracted furious complaints from residents in Castle Douglas a few months ago with at least eight locations in the town including the swimming pool, the Royal Bank of Scotland branch and Marchbank bakers, being targeted.

Lisa added: “We’re hoping that we can get some people down in the next few weeks to try and repaint the wall but it will be such a hard job to cover it up again.

“I’d like to hope that people will phone the police if they do see something happening but I understand that some people just don’t like to get themselves involved sometimes.”

Anyone who has any information on the graffiti is urged to get in touch with PC Christopher Trosh on 101.